Get better acquainted with NBN

The National Broadband Network has been rolling out for a couple of years now, delivering its fast and reliable connection to over a million Australian homes and businesses.

Even though it’s been doing the rounds for a while now, there is still some confusion about the mix of technology that’s going to bring our nation’s Internet connectivity up to speed.

iiNet receives many questions from valued customers about the NBN, and since we’re the NBN experts, we’re here to provide answers.

Here are some of your common questions about the NBN with answers to help you get better acquainted with the network.

Who is in charge of the rollout?

As many residents are used to dealing with their Internet Service Provider (ISP), like iiNet, for all Internet related services, queries and issues, it’s no surprise that there is some confusion about whether iiNet has some involvement in the rollout of NBN technology.

iiNet has no involvement in the construction and subsequent rollout of the NBN; our role comes into play once the NBN has gone live in your area. Once the NBN has gone live, we can then offer a suite of products to our customers, with one of our great value NBN plans.

It is nbnTM, a Governmental entity owned and operating under the Liberal National Coalition, who were created with the intention to, and are in charge of, the NBN’s design, build and operation. nbnTM oversee the construction of NBN infrastructure.

When am I getting NBN?

It’s the question on everyone’s lips: When is it my turn to get connected? Everyone wants a taste of those great NBN speeds and are eagerly anticipating its arrival to their address.

It’s important to remember though, it takes time to roll out a new network to an entire nation, and we can’t all be connected at once. If your street hasn’t gone live yet, don’t stress: you haven’t been forgotten! The NBN is still on its way.

To find out when the NBN will be available in your area, you can check iiNet’s NBN Coverage Map here. If your address pops up with a “Not Currently Available” message, it means construction of the NBN infrastructure has not yet commenced in your area.

So if construction has not yet started, but you are still keen to get the fast speeds the NBN has to offer, how can you keep up to date with the developments and when it’s coming to you? You can always register to the iiNet NBN Waitlist where we’ll keep you up to date on NBN news and rollout dates as we receive them.

nbnTM have also released a three year construction plan where you can view the year the first sites in your area will commence construction.

Which technology am I getting?

The multi-technology mix has some people a little muddled. There’s really no need for concern though, it’s not as complex as it may seem.

To find out which of the multiple technologies you will receive out of Fibre to the Premises, Fibre to the Node or Basement, Hybrid Fibre Coaxial/Cable or Fixed Wireless or Satellite, just check your suburb on nbnTM’s three year construction plan.

If you want to learn more about the different technology types, check out our handy video:

Do I have to switch?

If you’re not a heavy user of the Internet and are happy on your existing plan, you may not want to make the switch to the NBN. However, for those receiving Fibre to the Premises, Node, Basement or receiving Cable, approximately 18 months after the NBN rolls out to your area, the existing copper-reliant services will be disconnected, and to continue receiving an Internet connection, you will need to sign up to an NBN plan.

While you may not think this is an ideal situation for you, it’s important to remember the reason Australia is upgrading to the NBN is because our old network is not as fast or reliable. Even if you don’t need the speed, the NBN simply provides a superior and sturdier connection.

You can learn more in our video here:

Will my phone and devices still work?

As mentioned above, services associated with the old copper network will be disconnected approximately 18 months after the NBN rolls out in your area, for many residents and businesses. You will need to call a retail service provider, such as iiNet, and sign up to an NBN plan to receive a phone and Internet connection after the rollout.

To find out whether you can keep other connected services such as Foxtel, security systems and medical alarms, the best bet is to contact the manufacturer/service provider and ask them directly.

Check out our video about what happens to your existing services here:

I don’t think the NBN technology planned for my area is appropriate. What can I do?

72 comments

When I joined, iinet managed the connection within the Telstra exchange so there was nothing for me to do to make the connection. I simply hooked up the router.
With NBN, do I now have to deal directly with NBN to establish a new connection?
Do I then have to end my data plan with iinet, or will the iinet data plan continue through NBN. If so, do I have to now pay an extra fee to NBN in addition to my iinet plan. Confused.

You don’t have to deal directly with NBN to get a fibre connection at your premises. Much like us liaising with Telstra to get your phone line connected up etc. we organize the fibre connection for you through NBN. When upgrading to a NBN service you will need to select a NBN plan (http://www.iinet.net.au/internet/broadband/nbn/plans/)
You do not need to pay NBN any other fees in addition to your iiNet plan either.

If you would like to discuss upgrading to a NBN service you can contact our sales department on 13 19 17.
Hope this response clarifies things for you, if you have any further questions or concerns let us know!

We currently have NBN. However it is consistantly unreliable, often making it difficult to access internet, voight phone etc.
We are not heavy users.
We have been told that the infrastructure is sub standard. So when are the charges/plans we receive going to reflect this? Plus when is iinet going to do something to improve this?
We are begining to think we chose the wrong provider!

We are sorry to hear about the connectivity issues being experienced here. Have you been able to perform any troubleshooting regarding this at all? (https://iihelp.iinet.net.au/Troubleshooting_NBN_Fibre_for_speed_issues) If the issue persists once troubleshooting has been exhausted it may be a good idea to get in touch with our support team on 13 22 58 to discuss this.

I have my NBN…..it is slow and far from reliable. It drops out or just doesn’t work. I didn’t have as many issues with my previous connection. I have been told the Yelstra 5Gis fast,reliable and doesn’t disappear. Why is. I s do different? Can ices get providers if. Wanted to?

Apologies that you’ve been experiencing difficulties with your NBN service. Have you attempted any troubleshooting for the speed issue as of yet? (https://iihelp.iinet.net.au/Troubleshooting_NBN_Fibre_for_speed_issues) If you’re still having trouble, it is recommended that you contact support on 13 22 58 so that our team can troubleshoot the issue with you and assist in providing a solution.

Hope this has been helpful, let us know how you go and if you need any further assistance.

This means that Bob Lite is not as future proof as I was once told. It will be good to have the newer faster service but what does that mean for small internet companies like iinet who were sure they had accounted for all possible future outcomes to testify to a future proof device.

Our BoB Lite is still suitable for FTTH and Fixed Wireless technologies, however only our Budii Lite and TG-1 modems are suitable for FTTN. We do offer a free TG-1 with any contracted services on sign-up and will continue to update and improve our range as the NBN progresses.

The last stage from street or transmitter to house is very slow- 3 month wait list seems common in our area and appointments are often cancelled at the last moment. I assume the NBN is responsible for this but in a situation where the wait list is long and unreliable can iiNet put pressure on the NBN to speed up the final installation?

It looks like calls to mobiles will not be included as they are in my current plan unless I get an expensive one. It also appears that phone Companies are going to use the NBN for a rip off in charges. I have a pathetic service because of old copper lines from the exchange going into pits that flood in the tropics, and cause disconnection and cackling in the lines. It looks like we will still be left with these atrocious lines. When my current Turbo2 works correctly I can get 14 Mbps. It won’t be any advantage for me and it seems I will have a worse service than I have now.

I tried to view the video’s, but they kept stopping for a short period then recommencing. I also entered the address to which we will possibly be moving in the middle of the year to find out if NBN was available. The blanks that have to filled in are confusing, when I entered the proposed address it would not accept this information. The Map? would not down load.
From another outside source, I understand taht NBN is available in Morpeth NSW, and that the period for disconnecting the existing services has less that a year to run, In this case the villa has not yet been built and the discontinue will be much closer by the time the property is completed, not allowing for any weather or other delays. So if we move on time then I should contact an ISP with some urgency???
Now your web site says this is a duplicate copy??? This is the first and only time I have submitted this comment.

If you’re experiencing issues accessing the NBN Coverage Map Tony, we’d encourage getting in contact with our Sales (13 19 17) team. A Customer Service Representative will be able to review the current status of your future premises and provide options moving forward.

Thanks for letting us know, Maddison. We’ll take a look at the application form to arrange the street type variations to be updated. We’d recommend getting in touch with Sales (13 19 17) in the meantime, as a Customer Service Representative will be able to get the ball rolling.

Appreciate the feedback, Rob. The NBN Coverage Map will indicate the current status of your area or premises. Definitions of each classification (For example: ‘Build commenced’) are listed below the map for further information and the standard process moving forward. Don’t hesitate to give our Sales (13 19 17) team a buzz if you have any questions.

I received official notice NBN available for connection by FTTN about 4 weeks ago, soon after Westnet invited me to connect..I started asking questions via e mail, my last questions 2 weeks ago still not answered. Losing faith in ISP after near 10 yrs.!!!!!

We have had Westnet wireless NBN including Voip now for about 18 months. Our Voip often drops out irregularly. Can someone tell me if it is the NBN or what as Telstra will soon shut down out land line.

“However, for those receiving Fibre to the Premises, Node, Basement or receiving Cable, approximately 18 months after the NBN rolls out to your area, the existing copper-reliant services will be disconnected, and to continue receiving an Internet connection, you will need to sign up to an NBN plan.”

Isn’t Fibre to The Node using “copper reliant services” for the connection to the premises? Or is the copper going to be replaced with fibre to each house?

I have NBN satellite but even the most simple video of a person to person often stops and starts.Question .. When will the new satellite commence & will the speeds improve? Also is it correct to say that as soon as it’s operational most ISP’s will sign up large nos. of new customers causing the faster speeds to sink back to where they are now?

Our exchange is to get converted for NBN by the end of this year, with FTTN provisioning. How long after the exchange gets the NBN will it actually roll out to premises? The NBN site says nothing about this.

I currently have iiNet mobile broadband because I am on a RIM network and also pair-gained and so can’t get normal ADSL2. So when NBN comes along in H1 (presumably 1st half) of 2017 to Woodvale, will all these problems be sorted out as they run out HFC or am I still going to be stuck?

As an ex telecommunications officer with Telstra Australia I would like to give my two Bobs worth,Fibre is great if it comes directly into your modem Telstra is not great they are a totally revenue motivated government owned company I read several replies above they are correct by the time NBN fibre gets close to being finished it will be obsolete However iinet is THE BEST service provider that Australia and the world has because it is people motivated not solely nor profit motivated as is Telstra NBN Thank you iinet keep up the good work.
Regards Eddie Bond

Sounds like I am going to have to look at the whole lot of ISPs and compare the complex deals and bundling, then change providers to get the cheapest deal when my present low speed and download limit is fine – then probablychange my email address.

What needs to be communicated is the components and their size needed in the house point of the connection.
Does one need to use an ethanet cable to connect a number of computers to the home point or does it provide a wifi connection at the same speed as a hard connection. Can one have more than one NBN box in the house for different services eg TV, Computers, House security Alarm.
What are the interference issues to NBN delivery at a home. Can the system substitute a phone line for house calls anywhere in the world.

I must be missing something!
I have everything Internet , Landline.mobile phone through Iinet. It all seems fast enough to me. I cannot see need for any change
My question is “Will I have to pay more in the future??

NBN has now been installed for several weeks. Took only an hour and a half for the internal boxes to be installed and iiNet had everything up and running a couple of hours later. Download speeds jumped immediately from 5Mbs to 24Mps. Just waiting now for Telstra to port our existing number over to VOIP. Pretty happy so far and continue to be impressed with iiNet call centre customer service.

The NBN cable was laid in our street 3 years ago. Next door has had the NBN for 2 years. NBNco says that rollout has not commenced in our area so I cannot connect. iiNet says they can connect me to the NBN now.
What is the true story?

I read a lot about FTTP and FTTN but little about Hybrid Fibre Coaxial / Cable (HFC). On NBN plans our area is designated as HFC but the premises on our estate do not have cable – we have a dish to receive Foxtel. Will we be having cabling in our streets and across our premises or will we have another dish or is HFC just for premises with existing cable and we will have FTTP?

the new fibre connection is ver4y unreliable the internet and the phone drop out almost daily i keep comp-laining and you once sent a tech who fixed it for 2 days what else can i do is the problem with iinet or nbn HELP

So sorry to hear about the NBN connectivity issues there! Has any troubleshooting been performed in an effort to rectify this issue? (https://iihelp.iinet.net.au/Troubleshooting_NBN_Fibre_Dropouts) If the issues are ongoing it may be best to get in touch with our support department directly on 13 22 58 as they can liaise with our Fibre team.

At long, long last we are about to be connected!! Having coped with over 5 years on 5Gb prime time max for $00 per month and the box attached to the house for over 1 year, NBN can’t come quickly enough. We have had months when we have run out of day time allowance so turn off both computers at 08.00 and on again at 23.00 to avoid excess charges. We have lots of email responsibilities and research in several websites so we have no complaints at all!

Basically all we need to do is get an application put through (this can be done by one of our Sales representatives on 13 19 17) and organize for a NBN tech to come out and install the necessary equipment. Once the equipment is there the service can go active relatively quickly, usually between 24-48 hours. Our Sales department can definitely assist with any NBN related queries that you may have as well Erin.

I do mot find NBN any better than the service I had before. I still can’t get the internet coverage in all the rooms in my house,,which is not a big house. I can only get it in the family room. Expected more as I am playing more each month.

I guess living in Launceston (Tasmania) has its advantages after all. I have monitored the comments over a long period. Many are quite negative. I have had NBN since last October and have no problems. My monthly charges for NBN and phone (land line only)are considerably less than when I was on ADSL2+.

Hey John, it shouldn’t be a problem, there are a few variations of Fibre connections though. If there are any issues with getting you connected up you will be notified after an application is submitted. Let us know if you require further assistance with this at all. – Jade

I live in a remote rural district and was set up with a satellite connection back in early 2009.

For over a year now I’ve been hearing about a new satellite being launched but I’m get conflicting information on what is happening and how this will affect me.

I have been told that the new satellite was launched late in 2015; that it has yet to be launched and will be later this year; that the old satellite will be decommissioned; that the old satellite will still be used and that the new satellite will add to the overall NBN satellite capacity; that my satellite dish will have to be reset for the new satellite and a technician will come out to my property to do this; that I won’t require a technician to reset my satellite dish; that I will need a new satellite dish for the new satellite; that if I don’t sign up for a new dish early there won’t be enough and I will miss out; that I will have to purchase a new dish and they are expensive; that the NBN will provide me with a new dish free of charge. I do not know who or what to believe.

My monthly 500mb data package has been frozen so I cannot increase my data to meet my current needs. I am a patient person happy to wait while the technology is put in place but the difficulty in obtaining reliable information leaves me anxious and frustrated. When can I expect that the new satellite will be operational? What technological changes, if any, will I need to make to my existing set up? How long do I have to wait before I can increase my data?

Apologies for all the confusion over the Sky Muster situation. The new Sky Muster satellite was launched in October last year, but is not yet ready for service. It is expected to be ready for customers to connect to in the next couple of months. We are currently using an interim satellite service, and Sky Muster and its future partner satellite will be taking over from this service when ready.The capacity of these new satellites is significantly greater than the current system, and congestion should be less relevant.

In regards to changing from the interim service to the new satellite services, new equipment will need to be installed by nbn. There is no charge to the customer, as before. Depending on your area, you may however instead be moved to fixed wireless, providing a faster service, depending on what is available and planned.

I have been complaining to iiNet about my VOIP service for 3 months I have several task numbers many staff emails but no solution to my problem . No returned phone calls still have the problem and really should i be spending hours on phones 98 minutes last night and I gave up . They still charge me for a lousy service I am hoping someone rings me now as I cannot find a name to talk to or an address to write to won’t be changing to tog I guess. CALL ME AND SORT THE PROBLEM

I recently connected to NBN via fibre to the home and the basic 12mbs / 1mbs speed package. We now notice that the time taken to open web pages from the same websites previously used whilst on the copper ADSL service have increased greatly. It far worse than before and are now regretting changing over to a fibre service. Why is it so slow now when it was promoted and sold as a far superior service.
Using a speed test website the speed to the inept server is almost at what we have paid for but you select a server in London for example and its a another story. You can start the test and then go away and do something else for a while.

What can be done to sort this out or can we go back onto our old service.

In addition to my above query, I work with a Korean colleague who has told me he has a 1000 mbps service which he pays $35 USD per month for. He has said it takes about 12 to 15 seconds to download a full length movie and said there lowest speed package is around 600 mbps. With fibre being fibre and the speed of light being a constant why is our Australian service so slow when it clearly does not have to be compared to the rest of the world. . . . ?

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